How to Make a Feathered Hair Ornament
Feathered hair ornaments--known in England as "fascinators"--are fun to wear in place of hats at formal events and cocktail parties. They've become popular with women attending the Kentucky Derby. Some brides wear feathered hair ornaments in place of veils. The feathered hair ornament automatically makes any outfit fancier.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Long silver hair clip
- Thin ribbon
- Sewing thread
- Marabou and ostrich feathers
- Small silk flowers
- Craft "tacky" glue
- Plastic gemstones and jewelry findings (optional)
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How to Make a Feathered Hair Ornament
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1
Find a long hair clip such as those used in hair salons. Holding the clip open, begin to wrap the thin ribbon around the top only, starting at the end nearest the spring.
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2
After wrapping a few turns around the top of the clip, add a drop of glue and the quill of a feather. Wrap another round of ribbon to trap the end of the feather.
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3
Continue wrapping, adding another feather or the stem of a tiny silk flower every few turns. Let the feathers overlap each other and project sideways from the clip. Add craft glue wherever it won't be seen. Use sewing thread to bind elements to the clip, if necessary. They can be trimmed off later.
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4
Trim off the remaining ribbon when you get to the end of the clip. Tuck and glue the end underneath.
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5
Glue a tiny silk or satin flower to the top of the clip to disguise the handle over the spring. Add additional gemstones and jewelry findings, if desired. If using long feathers, add them last by coating the ends in glue and sliding them under the ribbon.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The hardest part of this project is holding everything together while it dries. Tacky craft glue will help. Let the glue dry and wrap in stages, if necessary.
You can also use a plastic headband as the fascinator base.
Remember that the upper layers of decoration will hide any glue and thread holding together the lower layers. The marabou feathers are fluffy enough to cover a multitude of glue.
Add some elements, such as craft flowers or spiky feathers, that will stick out in different directions, which gives the fascinators their charm.
Don't use Super glue, crazy glue, or anything quick-drying that will stick to your fingers.
